Q & A with Diana Matuszak

I am all about collaboration over competition. I believe there’s no such thing as competition when you are being your authentic self and manifesting in your own lane. Through my work (and life experiences!) I get to connect with SO many amazing women who share my passion for becoming their BEST self, and empowering others to do the same.

Its a goal of mine to share these women + their message with YOU, via my blog and through interviews in my private Crunches Then Cocktails Facebook group.

So with that I bring you Diana Matuszak, an inspiring ball of positive energy and light. I got to hang out with Diana in San Diego for a health coaching retreat and we quickly realized we share a LOT of the same beliefs when it comes to food, loving your body and living a healthy lifestyle.

Read on to learn more about Diana, and her top tips to LOVE your body while enjoying life to the fullest!

Justine: What is your cocktail (or mocktail!) of choice?

Diana: I’m going to take you up on the option of having two answers and I’m going to answer both! If I’m being honest, I’m not a huge drinker. I don’t really have a reason why except for the fact that I like it as a special occasion sort of a thing.

When I go on dates with my fiancé, Tyler, or out for a special occasion I love to have a glass of wine or champagne! My go-to is Vueve Cliquot.

Mocktail? I have a sparkling water with lime every single day! As you can tell, I love carbonation!

J: Tell us a little bit about yourself and what you do.

D: My name is Diana Matuszak, I currently live about 2 miles behind Magic Kingdom park at Disney World in Orlando, FL. Yes, I do go every single week, and no it does not get boring! But, I am originally from Traverse City, MI and that will always be home for me.

I am engaged to my soulmate and one of the most incredible people I’ve ever met. He is a pilot in the U.S. Air Force and we are getting ready to make our first of many moves to New Mexico in January. If I’m being honest, ten years of moving sounds like an adventure and I’m really looking forward to it. There is a stigma that military life sucks because of the constant moving, but Tyler and I are very much so glass half full kind of people and we are ready for ten years of adventures!

I began my career as a licensed CPA (certified public accountant). This is what I majored in in school and contrary to popular belief I actually liked it. But, health and wellness is my passion and God given purpose.

As a child I was diagnosed with insulin resistance syndrome (pre-type 2 diabetes) and through college I struggled with extremely disordered relationships with food and my body. I know in my heart that God put me through this journey so that I may find health coaching and improve thousands of people’s lives while changing the way the world views healthy. I am now a full time health coach and I guide women to finding their own version of balance with food and their body, creating their dream body, health, and life.

J: What struggles or obstacles have you had to overcome to get here? What did you learn from that experience?

D: First, overcoming the struggle of the comparison game and finding fault with myself every single time I looked in the mirror. The journey of self-love can be a difficult one, but it is one of the most important ones we will ever go through in my opinion. In doing so, recovering from eating disorders is a battle I wouldn’t wish upon my worst enemy. It breaks my heart that so many women go through this or even slightly disordered relationships with food or their body.

In going through all of this I’ve come to learn what a gift this life is. We have the power to create truly whatever it is we want in this life, and I mean that with my whole heart.

We are in charge. I tend to be a little cheesy, but honestly life is such a gift. I have learned that staying present, mindful, and in the moment is so important. We can find miracles and happiness in every single day and by staying present and mindful we are even more attuned to these simple pleasures.

J: Do you have any daily routines, or self care practices? (Ex. A morning routine, evening routine)

D: My morning routine goes a bit like this:

Wake up

Make my bed (my secret weapon for a successful day!)

Workout – either at the gym on my own, on a run, or at Orange Theory Fitness

Shower and get ready

Hot water with lemon, ACV, cinnamon and breakfast (usually a green smoothie or oatmeal bowl)

Devotional, journal, affirmations

Another key to a good day for me is a 30-minute work break, walking around the neighborhood listening to a podcast. Breaks are so necessary for me to stay fresh and inspired!

In the evening, some health experts may disagree with me on this one, but it works for me, I have to watch TV at night. If I don’t watch TV or a movie my mind just keeps on running. So an hour or so of reality TV (Southern Charm is my favorite!) is actually a must!

I have been working on making a gratitude list. It’s not as habitual as I would like, but we are getting there! In a perfect world I would do this every night as well. And of course, thanking God for another wonderful day.

J: What are your top 3 tips for women who are looking to find balance with food and love for their bodies?

D: We need to remember why you want that body anyway. Which is probably along the lines of happiness, confidence, or self-love.

The secret? We need to find that within ourselves RIGHT NOW.

So my top tips:

Self lovin list – write down 30 (yes 30!!) things you LOVE about yourself every single day. And truly feel it. Don’t just write it down to write something down, truly believe it, be proud, and give yourself some love. This could also be done in the form of affirmations as well.

2. Stop saying no – when we tell ourselves we can’t have a certain food or drink, it’s like telling a child not to touch something, all we want to do is eat or drink it!

Instead, practice moderation. Working with a coach to find out what foods you love and actually make you feel amazing is life changing. You CAN lov everything you’re eating and still be eating mostly healthy. Continue to have date night, continue to have all of your favorite foods. Focus on how you feel, how you want to feel, and always act as if you are already the ideal version of yourself.

3. Healthier alternatives – I LOVE food. I love cooking and baking as well. But I also LOVE feeling energized, light, happy, and like the best version of myself. Eating mostly healthier foods helps me be that version of me. So one of my secret weapons is to find healthier alternatives for all of my favorite less than nutritious foods and have those regularly throughout the week. And of course, have the real deal every now and then too.